Congress approves border fence

Washington  Republicans will go into the Nov. 7 elections with a message that they've made great strides fighting illegal immigration, including authorizing a fence along one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border and making a $1.2 billion down payment on it.

Among its final tasks before leaving to campaign, the Senate on Friday night passed and sent to President Bush a bill authorizing 700 new miles of fencing on the southern border. No one knows how much it will cost, but a separate bill also on the way to the White House makes a $1.2 billion down payment on it. A 14-mile segment of fence under construction in San Diego is costing $126.5 million.

The House passed the fence bill two weeks ago. The Senate vote on it Friday night was 80-19.

In addition to money for starting work on the fence, a homeland security bill passed Friday by the House and later by the Senate includes $380 million to hire 1,500 more Border Patrol agents and money to build detention facilities to hold 6,700 more illegal immigrants until they can be deported.

"We have made giant steps in terms of our ability to control illegal immigration," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

The fence bill became House Republicans' immigration focus in September after they abandoned President Bush's call to bring millions of illegal immigrants into the American mainstream.

Comments

Let's see...toss a sop to the racist conservative base before the midterm, and get some momentum going, but wait...oh no! Pervo Republican Congressman illustrates extreme GOP hypocrisy for all to see...

A good, moral Republican doesn't live up to the values he, his ilk, and their mindless followers drone on about endlessly? NOOOOO, CAN'T BE.

Though I'm sure the wingnuts will find a way to rationalize this..."Its from the LIBERAL NY Times, so of course its not true"..."This information only aids the terrorists in our epic struggle for survival"..."It was consensual, so it doesn't matter" [sadly, I've already seen this defense from a winger]..."Uhhh, liberals hate America and are the real pedophiles" [ala conman]...etc.

What will be really telling is if this guy still will win reelection in his heavily conservative Republican district (if he wins, his seat is filled by an appointee of the FL GOP). If so, it will prove once again that the average Republican cares more about his party than even reality and their so-called 'moral values.' Enough so to cast a vote FOR A PEDOPHILE.

One more thing - the Republican leadership in the House has known about this for quite a while...

"House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate "contact" between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert."

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I W_O_N_D_E_R WHY THEY DIDN'T DIVULGE THIS INFORMATION WHEN THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT....................................................................

HOw about the fact that MEXICO spends $1.7 million dollars on lobbyists to counter the illegal immigration laws. Yeah, how is it legal that the Mexican Government can do this....all the while the Mexican GOvernment FORBIDS any involvement in the Mexican governing by non nationals or other countries.

How is that for fair.

The more you look at this "immigratin problem" the only "problem" we have are spineless legislators of both parties triying appeasement of other countries at the expense of our own.

EVERY SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE that votes FOR "Amnesty", "Path to Citicenship", or "guest worker program" should be up on treason charges. That includes this President as well.